"Kim Stanley Robinson - A Martian Romance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robinson Kim Stanley)

small globular cluster of yellow streetlights and lit windows, streaking the ice
of the bay between her and it. She walks around the bay on the empty
corniche, the sky all purple in the early dusk. Four days until the start of
spring, but there will be no spring this year.

****

She steps into the steamy clangor of the hotel restaurant. Workers in the
kitchen are passing full dishes through the broad open window to diners
milling around the long tables in the dining room. TheyтАЩre mostly young,
either iceboat sailors or the few people left in town. No doubt a few still
coming out of the hills, out of habit. A wild-looking bunch. Eileen spots Hans
and Arnold; they look like a pair of big puppets, discoursing to the crowd at
the end of one table тАФ elderly Pinocchios, eyes lost in wrinkles as they tell
their lies and laugh at each other, and at the young behemoths passing
around plates and devouring their pasta while still listening to the two. The
old as entertainment. Not such a bad way to end up.

It isnтАЩt RogerтАЩs kind of thing, however, and indeed when Eileen looks
around she sees him standing in the corner next to the jukebox, pretending
to make selections but actually eating his meal right there. ThatтАЩs Roger for
you. Eileen grins as she makes her way through the crowd to him.

тАЬHey,тАЭ he says as he sees her, and gives her a quick hug with one
arm.

She leans over and kisses his cheek. тАЬYou were right, itтАЩs not very
hard to find this place.тАЭ

тАЬNo.тАЭ He glances at her. тАЬIтАЩm glad you decided to come.тАЭ
 тАЬOh, the work will always be there, IтАЩm happy to get out. Bless you for
thinking of it. Is everyone else already here?тАЭ

тАЬYeah, all but Frances and Stephan, who just called and said theyтАЩd
be here soon. We can leave tomorrow.тАЭ

тАЬGreat. Come sit down with the others, I want some food, and I want
to say hi to everyone.тАЭ

Roger wrinkles his nose, gestures at the dense loud crowd. This
solitary quality in him has been the cause of some long separations in their
relationship, and so now Eileen shoves his arm and says, тАЬYeah yeah, all
these people. Such a crowded place, Elysium.тАЭ

Roger grins crookedly. тАЬThatтАЩs why I like it.тАЭ

тАЬOh of course. Far from the madding crowd.тАЭ

тАЬStill the English major, I see.тАЭ